Vietnam, the Philippines and Bulgaria have expressed welcome to the joint document issued at the end of the six-party talks in Beijing on Tuesday.

 

In Vietnam, Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Dung said Vietnam hopes that "the parties will strictly implement the deals reached, and satisfactorily deal with the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, contributing to maintaining peace and stability in Northeast Asia and the world."

 

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said the agreement was a "good start" toward full stabilization of the area.

 

Bulgaria also hailed the document, saying it provides specific steps towards the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry hopes the fulfillment of the document, saying it will be an important step in building lasting peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and the whole Northeast Asia.

 

The Tokyo Shimbun newspaper said in its editorial on Wednesday that the joint document should be the first step toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

 

Major newspaper Asahi Shimbun also welcomed the agreement, saying if North Korea is moving toward denuclearization, Japan should also play an active role in the process.

 

The Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper said that China, which hosted the six-party talks, contributed a lot to the meeting and the agreement. China's coordination during the talks had helped the passage of the joint document, the paper said.

 

The six-party talks, involving China, the US, Russia, Japan, North and South Korea ended in Beijing on Tuesday with a joint statement on the first step toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

 

Under the document, North Korea will shut down and seal the Yongbyon nuclear facility, including the reprocessing facility, and invite International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors to return to monitor and verify their actions.

 

The parties agreed to the provision of emergency energy assistance to North Korea in the initial phase, and assistance equivalent to 50,000 tons of heavy fuel oil will commence within 60 days, according to the document.

 

The next round of the six-party talks is scheduled to be held in Beijing on March 19.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 15, 2007)